Bay Area briefs

PETALUMA SCHOOL CREATES FLAP OVER GIRLS' PANTS: PETALUMA (AP) — A Northern California middle school is clarifying its dress code after female students said they were told they could no longer wear tight-fitting pants because they distracted the boys.

KTVU-TV in Oakland reports that female students at Kenilworth Junior High School in Petaluma received the instruction from an administrator during a school period last week.

The apparent ban sparked criticism from some students and parents, who said girls at the school should not be penalized for boys' behavior.

Kenilworth administrators have since said they may have gone further in their statements to girls than they should have, and there has been no change in the dress code.

Principal Kathy Olmstead said skinny jeans and yoga pants are still allowed and only leggings with no covering such as a skirt are banned.

4 INJURED IN VALLEJO DRIVE-BY SHOOTING: VALLEJO (AP) — Police are looking for suspects in a shooting that injured four people riding in a car in Vallejo.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that three men and a woman were driving in north Vallejo on Wednesday at about 10 p.m. when they were attacked.

The victims, two of which suffered gunshot wounds, are all expected to survive.

Vallejo police say at least two people in another car fired about 30 rounds at the victims, forcing the car to crash into a parked vehicle. Two men were able to get out and go to a nearby house for help.

JUDGE WARNS OAKLAND TO WORK WITH POLICE REFORMER: OAKLAND (AP) — A federal judge has ordered city officials to stop impeding the work of the man he brought in to reform Oakland's police department, or face punishment.

U.S. District Court Judge Thelton Henderon wrote Wednesday that he would not hesitate to impose sanctions against anyone who continues to limit the authority of Compliance Director Thomas Frazier.

The judge has accused City Hall of trying to obstruct Frazier through legal or contractual arguments.

Frazier, a former Baltimore police commissioner, was named the department's compliance director last month. He has broad authority to spend city funds, demote commanders and seek the ouster of Chief Howard Jordan.

Oakland officials agreed to accept a powerful court-appointed compliance director to avoid a complete federal takeover of the department following a police brutality scandal.

TEEN FACING TRIAL IN TODDLER'S OAKLAND SHOOTING: OAKLAND (AP) — A 17-year-old is facing trial in the shooting death of a toddler during the filming of rap video in Oakland.

An Alameda County judge ruled at the end of a preliminary hearing on Wednesday that there was sufficient evidence for Frederick Coleman to stand trial on murder and attempted murder charges in the November 2011 attack.

Authorities say 23-month-old Hiram Lawrence Jr. was shot when Coleman and two other Acorn gang members opened fire at a group of people that included Hiram's father. Six others, including the father, were wounded.

Testimony revealed the elder Hiram Lawrence and two others were filming a music video during which a jacket stolen from an Acorn gang member was stomped and spat on. The three defendants allegedly sought revenge.

Coleman has pleaded not guilty.

SEX OFFENDER CHURCH VOLUNTEER SENTENCED: SAN JOSE (AP) — A convicted child molester who was given permission by the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose to volunteer at a festival attended by children has been sentenced to 30 days in county jail.

The 51-year-old Mark Gurries acknowledged on Wednesday that he violated his probation by volunteering at the St. Frances Cabrini Parish festival in October. He was not supposed to do volunteer work with an organization that involves supervision of children under 18 years old following his 2010 child molestation conviction.

Gurries, a registered sex offender, was spotted at the festival by someone who knew his alleged victim. When parents asked a church official, Rev. Lieu Vu, to remove him, Vu objected, saying Gurries should be forgiven.